Around the World
December 7, 2025
It all started at GenCon last August.
Courtney Laschkewitsch was on a working trip to Indianapolis IN where she attended the largest boardgame convention in the United States. She stuffed her newly-acquired SpielMas sticker in a bag and showed it off in the convention halls holding 70,000 people.
Holding up a SpielMas sticker in the Czech Games Edition hall at GenCon last August 2025.
European Vacation
When she had the chance to travel to Europe later that Fall, she continued the tradition.
“When I went to Spain, France, Italy, and Malta, I made sure to bring my sticker...and take photos for you,” Laschkewitsch informed me. “So the sticker has been in different countries!”
Her devotion led to her capturing images of the sticker in some beautiful locations, including the Sagrada Familia, which inspired the boardgame Sagrada!
She also showed off the sticker at the PAX Unplugged boardgame convention in Philadelphia PA.
(l-r) San Francisco airport CA; Cannes, France; Montserrat, Spain (2x); (hills, sea) Girona, Spain (2x); (stained glass) Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain; (coffee) Tarragona, Spain; PAX Unplugged, Philadelphia PA (2x).
Origin Story
She learned of the SpielMas festival from hosting monthly playtesting events I attend in a coffee shop in Santa Cruz CA. It’s where she also maintains a game library on the shop’s shelves. One evening I added a pile of SpielMas stickers to a shelf, and her excitement grew from there.
Game library at Peoples Coffee in Santa Cruz CA.
Insights
Am I seeing a surge in interest to celebrate the festival from around the world?
Not yet, but these things take time.
Two years ago my wife and I celebrated SpielMas in New Zealand, so we’ve experienced the thrill and confusion of explaining the festival to boardgamers outside the United States.
At this point, I’ll take any publicity that comes my way. Including anything in Barcelona!
